1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,717 discloses a connector with male and female housings that are connectable with each other. The female housing includes a block-shaped housing main body and the male housing includes a receptacle having an inner surface shaped conforming to outer surfaces of the female housing. A projection is provided on an outer surface of the female housing, and a receiving groove is formed in the male housing. The projection is fit into the receiving groove when the two housings are connected properly. However, the projection contacts the front end edge of the male housing to prevent further connection if the female housing is oriented erroneously, thereby preventing further connection.
The female housing is bulkier than a female housing with no projection by at least as much as a projecting distance of the projection. Thus, the projection could interfere with the opening edge of a through hole of a panel and could hinder insertion of the female housing into the through hole in the panel if the opening diameter of the through hole is specified to be small.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,523 discloses a connector that has a block-shaped housing with a plurality of cavities for receiving terminal fittings. A resiliently deformable locking lance is formed at an inner surface of each cavity for retaining the terminal fitting. An erroneous connection preventing rib is provided on an outer surface of the housing for preventing an erroneous connection with a mating housing. Specifically, the erroneous connection rib extends in forward and backward directions at a position displaced toward one lateral side from a widthwise center of the housing.
The strength of the housing is weakened by forming the cavities penetrating the housing. The erroneous connection preventing rib could be arranged on a thin wall of the housing that also supports the base ends of the locking lances. The thin wall that supports both the erroneous connection preventing rib and the locking lances could be deformed to bulge out when the locking lance is deformed by inserting or withdrawing the terminal fitting into or from the cavity, thereby changing the position of the erroneous connection preventing rib. Further, the thin wall could be deformed into the cavity if the erroneous connection preventing rib interferes with external matter, thereby changing the position of the erroneous connection preventing rib. The erroneous connection preventing portion may not function properly in a shifted position.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-65985 discloses a connector to be built in a vehicle mirror. This connector has a housing capable of accommodating terminal fittings connected with ends of wires. The housing is mounted into a holder, which in turn is to be is fixed to a door mirror.
The holder is in the form of a box with open front and rear ends and one open side surface, and the housing is inserted through the opening in the side surface of the holder. The housing mounted in the holder is connected with a mating housing through the opening of the front surface of the holder. Wires extend from the rear surface of the housing and are drawn out to the outside through the opening of the rear surface of the holder.
There have been certain mounting situations where it is desired to mount the housing into the holder with the rear surface of the housing in the lead and draw the wires out in a direction intersecting with forward and backward directions. However, the above-described holder cannot be used in this manner. More particularly, the wires drawn out from the rear surface of the housing may be bent forcibly and it may be difficult to arrange the wires unless there is a sufficient space between the rear surface of the housing and the holder.
The invention was developed in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a connector that prevents erroneous connection of two housings.